Sanders Hypnosis Center News

HypnoBirthing is Coming Soon!

2012-03-02T01:09:00.000-05:00

Stay tuned!

MindPlace Products Now At Sanders Hypnosis Center

2012-02-23T17:10:00.002-05:00

The Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland is happy to announce our partnership with MindPlace®, the leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art meditational technology. We can now provide the technological tools for you to explore your potential for peak performance, concentration, and clarity of mind. Your mind is a wonderful place!

Hypnosis Center Director Selected to Present Workshop at International Hypnosis Conference

2012-02-16T12:34:00.000-05:00

Brian Sanders, director of the Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland, was selected to serve as a faculty member this August at the 2012 National Guild of Hypnotists International Convention in Marlborough, MA, where he will present a workshop to an international student body of hypnotists entitled, "Taming The Inner Musical Beast—Strategies For Overcoming Stage Fright For Musicians."

Sanders Runs Half-Marathon For Crohn's & Colitis Foundation

2012-02-13T19:28:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends and Family,

I amcurrently training with Team Challenge to run in the Virginia Wine Country HalfMarathon on June 2nd. I have competed inmany events throughout my years but, unlike all the others, this race is morethan running just to cross the finish line because I am also running to find acure.

I joined Team Challenge over amonth ago and it has already changed my life. Team Challenge is a training program that supports the mission of theCrohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) which is “to cure Crohn’sdisease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of childrenand adults affected by these diseases.” Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are painful, debilitating medicallyincurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. Unfortunately, this disease has affected thelives of over 1.4 million Americans.

Since joining the team I have metan incredible child, Johnny. WhileJohnny, age 5, is too young to really know how he is affected by colitis, you quicklyunderstand how his illness has changed his family. Being part of a CCFA program has made adifference in his life; through a various events that CCFA hosts and researchthat continually progresses to find a cure for him. I am running on behalf of notonly the honorees, but for all those out there who have been diagnosed.

With two weeks down and fourteenmore to go I need your help to reach my goal of $2,500. Every step I take towards reaching that goalwill help the lives of those affected because over 90% of the money I raisegoes directly towards research in support of the CCFA mission. I have joined Team Challenge to complete ahalf marathon and help find a cure for all those out there battling everyday. I am hopeful that you will join mein the fight against Crohn’s and colitis. You can help me reach my goal by visiting my website: www.active.com/donate/virginia12md/sandershypnosis. If you would like to make a donation pleasedo so before my deadline of April 1st. Thesedonations are tax deductible and you will receive a receipt.

Please help me capture my euphoricmoment of not only crossing the finish line, but knowing that all those whohelped me reach my goal helped to better the lives of many others.

Thank you for all your generosityand support!

Best Wishes,

Brian Sanders, BCH, CI
Board Certified Hypnotherapist

Celebrities and Hypnosis

2012-01-21T01:03:00.000-05:00

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis led a remarkable life in which she experienced considerable tragedy. Most tragic of all, of course, was the assassination of husband, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963 at which she, herself, was present. Then her second husband, the Greek businessman, Aristotle Onassis, died in 1973, just seven years after they were married. Jackie Kennedy Onassis is said to have used hypnotherapy to "relive and let go of" some of these tragic events in her life, and it is thought to have brought her considerable comfort. Sometimes the process of confronting past experiences and fears during a trance is enough to allow a person to come to terms with them.

Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland

False Degree Scam

2011-12-30T13:28:00.000-05:00

Many people know that I am a staunch opponent of people who falsely claim to have earned a doctorate. As somebody who is finishing a legitimate doctorate from an accredited school (Boston University), I am acutely aware of the effort, time, and financial expense involved in earning one.

For some reason, the world of hypnosis seems to have no shortage of individuals who falsely claim to have earned doctorates. Perhaps this is due to the lack of regulation. Even in that respect, reputable hypnotherapists should be involved in self-regulation and call out these individuals.

Our profession has come a long way in gaining the credibility it deserves, and we still have a long way to go. It would be an adequate presumption to say that the profession of hypnosis is today where the field of chiropractics was thirty years ago. We're getting there, but it doesn't get us there any faster when some individuals in the profession act unethically.

I just stumbled upon one hypnotist in Baltimore County, Maryland (I won't say names) who prompted me to write about this. She clams to have earned an "alternative Doctorate in C.O.R.E. Counseling/Education from the Institute of Transformational Studies in Gloucester, MA."

When I read this, I immediately saw red flags: an "alternative doctorate;" a school or institute that I have never heard of. So I did some research.

An "Institute of Transformation Studies" does not exist in Massachusetts. There IS a company called Institute of Transformation Studies located in Colorado and only offers courses in self-empowerment. There's no mention about a doctoral program.

The acronym she uses when referring to C.O.R.E Counseling/Education is a term derived by a company which purports to be an organization of alternative therapists called the American Society of Alternative Therapists. Looking at their website, their is no mention of a doctoral program.

I have seen many individuals who claim to have earned doctorates in hypnotherapy, clinical hypnosis, metaphysics, etc. All are fake and can be purchased from a degree mill or printed by a home computer. I have heard the argument that an unaccredited degree can be just as valuable as a credited degree if the education derived from that was valuable -an argument akin to having earned Microsoft Certification. The difference is, Microsoft doesn't issue doctorates. If an individual took some sort of course or seminar, then a certificate of completion would be appropriate. To bestow upon oneself the title of "doctorate" is ridiculous and a slap in the face to those who have legitimately earned a doctoral degree.

One of the fundamental principles of hypnotherapy is that rapport, or trust, must be established between the subject and the operator. When the operator breaks that trust by claiming to have false or worthless credentials, that operator is doing the subject a major disservice. In some case, the subject, not being aware or privy to the world of higher education, chooses the operator based upon these "credentials." In other words, the hypnotherapist is lying to that person. There can be no trust if one is being lied to. There is a complete breakdown of any ethical code that hypnotists should follow.

As such, it is imperative for anybody seeking a hypnotherapist to research the individual's credentials. Look for key words such as "alternative doctorate," "PhD in Metaphysics," "PhD in Hypnosis," etc. Another tactic is for an individual to call themselves a doctor or use the initials "PhD" but conveniently fail to mention in what or from where.

Sanders Hypnosis responds to Baltimore Sun story, "Be a helpful cheerleader."

2011-12-29T16:22:00.002-05:00

Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, of Tribune Newspapers, wrote an interesting and entertaining story that was published today entitled, "Be a helpful cheerleader: When a loved one needs to change, nagging just won't work."

This story discussed the ups and downs of a wife who encouraged her husband to change his eating habits in order for them to both lose weight together. We hope this will encourage other couples to do the same, but we understand how difficult it is to take away food that another desires. As such, we sent the author our response:

Dear Ms. Elejalde-Ruiz,

I read your article today, "Be a helpful cheerleader" in the Baltimore Sun. It was a very enjoyable read with a positive, real-life spin. I hope your article will motivate couples to do the same as the two you wrote about.

I am the director of the Sanders Hypnosis Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland and work with weight loss clients on a daily basis. As such, there is a shortcoming in your article that I would like to point out. We have found that the reason why most individuals overeat is a psychological one. As a concerned spouse, it might be tempting to eliminate that pizza or hamburger from a loved one's diet, but if that person wants it they will eventually get it. Think about a child who is told to stay away from the cookie jar. The temptation for a cookie may have been there before, but now that he is told he can't have it, he will desire the delicious contents inside the jar even more!

This is precisely why diets fail. People are told to abstain from foods they want. As a result, they want it even more! This discussion is, coincidentally, a timely one in that World Hypnotism Day will be celebrated by hypnotists around the world on January 4th. At the Sanders Hypnosis Center, our clients deal with the psychological aspects of their eating problems. Our approach is very unique in that, with hypnosis, our clients believe they have a gastric band fitted around their stomachs. As a result, they are less hungry. For example, individuals who once would eat an entire pizza are now satisfied by having only one slice. They still eat what they want, just much less of it.

Anyone with questions about how hypnosis can help them with their weight loss goals should visit www.SandersHypnosis.com or call the Sanders Hypnosis Center at 443-494-9766.

"Quit smoking? It's tough but not impossible" in the Baltimore Sun

2011-12-29T15:44:00.002-05:00

The Baltimore Sun published an article today entitled, "Quit smoking? It's tough but not impossible" in their Ask The Expert section. Christine Schutzman, coordinator of the Freshstart Smoking Cessation Program at St. Joseph's Medical Center, is featured describing the extremely addictive nature of nicotine and the benefits of counseling.

I believe that counseling only touches the surface of the smoking habit and doesn't deal with the psychological aspects. As such, I was perplexed as to why hypnosis was not listed as an option. I sent an email to the writer, Meredith Cohn, which reads:

Dear Ms. Cohn,

I read your article today, "Quit smoking? It's tough but not impossible." I enjoyed it very much and it helped bring to light many truths about just how addictive nicotine is. However, this article fell short in a particular area, which I would like to address.

One of the most important aspects of a smoking cessation program is behavior modification. This was merely touched upon in the last paragraph of the article. The habits associated with smoking are embedded in the subconscious mind. For example, the hand to mouth movements, the routine most smokers have of "lighting up" upon waking, after meals, and while driving, and also triggers occurring in our daily lives such as stress and anxiety. These are all imprinted below the surface of our conscious awareness.

As such, I was very disappointed to see that hypnotherapy was not listed as an effective option to quit smoking. At the Sanders Hypnosis Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland, we work with numerous individuals to quit smoking. Almost all of our clients have tried everything else ranging from the patch to Chantix. While these smoking cessation aids may curb the desire for nicotine, they do not deal with the psychological aspect of smoking and, as a result, they often return to their old, bad smoking habits.

This discussion about hypnosis for smoking cessation is a timely one, as World Hypnotism Day will be celebrated by hypnotists around the world on January 4th. As part of the combination therapies mentioned, hypnosis should be an option. My belief is that it should be the first option. Talk therapy, whether it be with a group, individually, online, or by phone, is certainly helpful and can provide positive reinforcement for the right person. However, it doesn't effectively deal with the subconscious issues, which can be easily and permanently addressed with hypnosis.

Anyone with questions about how hypnosis can assist with their smoking cessation program can visit our website at www.SandersHypnosis.com or call the Sanders Hypnosis Center at 443-494-9766.

Gambling Problem? We Can Help.

2011-11-27T18:38:00.001-05:00

In America alone, problem gambling affects more than 15 million people. More than 3 million of these are considered severe problem gamblers, otherwise known as gambling addicts.

Problem gambling can strain your relationships, interfere with responsibilities at home and work, and lead to financial catastrophe. It may even lead you to do things you never thought possible, like stealing money to gamble or taking money meant for your children.

Now that Maryland has legalized casinos, we are now seeing the growth of a number of legal gambling venues akin to those in Delaware, Atlantic City, and Las Vegas. The slots located Hollywood Casino Perryville, Maryland Live! at Arundel Mills, and Ocean Downs in Berlin add to the already established horse racing gambling activities at Pimlico, Laurel Park, and others locations. With this growth, we are likely to see an increase in gambling problems.

Individuals who suffer from gambling problems may think they can't stop, but the Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland can help you. If you're ready to admit you have a problem and seek help, we can help you overcome your gambling problem and regain control of your life.

Myths About Problem Gambling

MYTH: You have to gamble every day to be a problem gambler.
FACT: A problem gambler may gamble frequently or infrequently. Gambling is a problem if it causes problems.

MYTH: Problem gambling is not really a problem if the gambler can afford it.
FACT: Problems caused by excessive gambling are not just financial. Too much time spent on gambling can lead to relationship breakdown and loss of important friendships.

MYTH: Partners of problem gamblers often drive problem gamblers to gamble.
FACT: Problem gamblers often rationalize their behavior. Blaming others is one way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, including what is needed to overcome the problem.

MYTH: If a problem gambler builds up a debt, you should help them take care of it.
FACT: Quick fix solutions may appear to be the right thing to do. However, bailing the gambler out of debt may actually make matters worse by enabling gambling problems to continue.

Contact The Sanders Hypnosis Center today to get the help you need.

Proudly serving the communities of Pasadena, Glen Burnie, Severna Park, Columbia, Baltimore, Annapolis, Crofton, Millersville, Elkridge, Hanover, Perryville, Arundel Mills, Atlantic City, Cumberland, Rocky Gap, Berlin, Worcester, Hollywood Casino, Charles Town Races, Dover Downs, Midway Slots, Ocean Downs, Delaware Park, Arbutus, Dundalk, Essex, Westminster, Frederick, Arnold, Stevensville, and Catonsville.

Are You Battling Cancer? We Can Help!

2011-11-18T14:24:00.001-05:00

WHAT IS A CANCER? In very simple terms, cancer is the general name for a group of more than 100 diseases in which cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Although there are many kinds of cancer, they all start because abnormal cells grow out of control. Untreated cancers can cause serious illness and even death.

The National Cancer Society said that hypnosis may be useful for treating chronic pain and may be effective in reducing fear and anxiety, reducing the frequency and severity of headaches, controlling bleeding and pain, and may improve quality of life for some people with cancer. Click here to go the American Cancer Society's hypnosis information page.

The Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland uses a four-way approach to aid cancer patients.

The first type of session helps the cancer patient address the symptoms that they are experiencing from their particular type of cancer. Many times the actual treatment can produce many negative symptoms that hypnosis can help eliminate or decrease.

The second way that hypnosis helps is by creating positive expectations of the future.

The third type of hypnosis sessions deals with the emotional issues that are present in every cancer patient. Although cancer is attacking the physical body, the mental outlook must also be treated.

Finally, the fourth element, and perhaps the most important, is dealing with the self-healing abilities of the clients.

In many cases, we can travel to medical facilities or hospices throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area.

WHAT CAN HYPNOSIS HELP WITH? There are literally dozens and dozens of ways hypnosis can help. If any of the following issues apply to you, we can help:

Pain control
Diarrhea
Sexual responses
Appetite
Stress
The Family
Fears
The prognosis
Vision
Post surgery
Chemotherapy
Sleep patterns
Radiation
Guilt
Memory
Stages of cancer
Hospice
Weight loss
Numbness

ATTENTION CAREGIVERS - We can also assist with many issues caregivers face, including:

Lack of confidence
Stress
Feelings of being overwhelmed

Take the first step and get in touch to make an appointment today.

Proudly serving the communities of Pasadena, Glen Burnie, Severna Park, Columbia, Baltimore, Annapolis, Crofton, Millersville, Elkridge, Hanover, Arbutus, Dundalk, Essex, Westminster, Frederick, Arnold, Stevensville, and Catonsville, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, DC, Washington, District of Columbia, Anne Arundel, Howard County, MD, PA, VA, Queen Anne's and more.

Common Q's & A's About Hypnosis

2011-10-18T01:07:00.000-04:00

WHAT ABOUT HYPNOSIS?

Say the word "hypnosis," and many peopleimmediately think of stage shows and of people doing unusual things. Other people think of pocket watches,or spirals twirling. But it is now muchmore common for hypnotists simply to ask a subject to stare at a small,stationary object, such as a colored thumbtack on the wall, during the"induction patter," which usually consists of soothing words aboutrelaxation and suggestions to focus and concentrate.

Whenever the subject of hypnosis is brought up, questionsseem to arise with it. The following questions are asked repeatedly, byclients, of prospective clients, and of those who are simply curious. Withanswers to these questions, fears are put to rest, myths dispelled, and morepeople are able to allow themselves to experience the wonderful benefits ofhypnosis to enhance their lives.

Common Questions & Answers:

Is hypnosis real? Ifso, how does it work?

Yes, it’s real. Exactly how it works is still under investigation. Over the past fewyears, researchers have found that when someone is hypnotized, they activelyrespond to suggestions, even though they sometimes might perceive the dramaticchanges in thought and behavior they experience as happening "bythemselves." During hypnosis, it is as if the brain temporarily suspendsits efforts to validate incoming sensory information, allowing new behaviorsand thoughts to occur. And, some people are more hypnotizable than others,although scientists still don't know why.

Is hypnosis medicallyapproved?

Hypnosis was first officially recognized as a viabletherapeutic tool by the British Government through the Hypnotism Act in 1952.Then, in 1958 both the British and the American Medical Associations (AMA)sanctioned the official use of hypnosis by physicians. In 1958, the AmericanPsychiatric Association (APA) also approved hypnotherapy for use byprofessionally responsible individuals.

Prestigious hospitals in the U.S. now use and teachhypnosis, such as Stanford University School of Medicine in San Francisco, theBeth Israel Medical Center in Boston, and University of Texas SouthwesternMedical Center in Dallas. Since the AMA sanctioned the use of hypnosis, manyinsurance companies cover hypnosis for medical and dental uses, including majorsurgeries. Now, more and more people arechoosing hypnosis over anesthesia for surgery. Some choose hypnosis simplybecause they fear not waking up from anesthesia. The fear-factor aside,however, there are definite medical advantages offered by hypnosis; lessbleeding, faster recovery time, and the need for fewer post-operativemedications.

Does hypnosis reallystop pain during surgery?

Patients who have used it say yes. During operations, theyreport that they can hear and see everything that is going on, but they feel nodiscomfort.

How is hypnosisthought of today, generally?

Myths still abound regarding hypnosis, although it isbecoming more widely accepted and trusted. Hypnosis cannot be used to controlsomeone's else's mind, or their actions. By using hypnosis, people gain greatercontrol over their own minds and their own actions.

What is hypnosislike?

Hypnosis is not a state of deep sleep but one of alteredconsciousness. There is a feeling of well-being, an ability to recall pastevents and the acceptance of new ideas that are not in conflict with personalvalues. There is also a higher thresholdto pain. The hypnotic state is like meditation, where the body is relaxed butthe mind has heightened awareness. Theability to vocalize is limited, and the limbs feel leaden or light, tingly orsomewhat numb. The perception of time is also distorted where an hour mightseem like just a few minutes.

Who can behypnotized?

Most people can be hypnotized, and different people go intohypnosis in different ways. Part of the hypnotist's job is to identify whatapproach will work best for which subject. Those who have trouble trusting thehypnotist or the process, may take more time to go into a hypnotic state, andmay not enjoy as many benefits.

There is a common idea that those with "a strong will" cannotbe hypnotized. It has been shown that intelligent people can be hypnotizedfaster because they have greater access to their imagination, and can followinstructions. In fact, those with an extremely low intelligence cannot behypnotized at all. The biggest prerequisite to someone being able to behypnotized is their willingness.

What about stageshows?

Sometimes hypnosis is feared, because often the view of thesubject surrendering their 'will' is reinforced by stage hypnotism. It is helpful to remember that stagehypnotists design their shows for entertainment purposes, which includeparticipants doing strange things. What people don't realize is that the stagehypnotist chooses only those who are highly suggestible, and may have a desireto have a "different" or less inhibited experience of themselves. Ina hypnotic state, people can give themselves permission to do many things thatthey may not otherwise be able to do.

In getting more comfortable with the subject of hypnosis, itis often helpful to know what hypnosis is NOT, to know better what it IS, andcan do. Solid research findings can help dispel even the most popular ofmyths.

Points of Interest:

Research shows that physiological responses indicate thathypnotized subjects are not lying.

Hypnotic procedures are natural and safe and no moredistressing than history lectures in high school.

Hypnotized subjects may be relaxed, but they are fullyawake; and a person can be in hypnosis while running, or dancing, or driving.

Many research tests show placebo responsiveness andhypnotizability are not correlated.

Hypnotized subjects are perfectly capable of saying no, orterminating hypnosis, all by themselves. And there is research available toshow that as well.

What can hypnosishelp with?

Hypnosis helps change attitudes, which is the key tochanging behavior. With hypnosis, a person is empowered, and made independentenough to solve his/her own problems. With hypnosis a person can changebehaviors that would otherwise seem difficult, if not impossible, to change.

Hypnosis can also improve your essential experience of life,in all its circumstances. Only withinthe past 40 years have scientists become equipped with instruments, techniquesand methods for accurately separating the facts of hypnosis from exaggeratedclaims. The study of hypnotic phenomena is now properly held within the domainof normal cognitive science, with papers on hypnosis published in many major scientificand medical journals. Newest clinical research findings reveal, however, thathypnosis and hypnotic suggestion, when used properly, can powerfully altercognitive processes as diverse as memory and pain perception.

Hypnosis is not talk therapy, and does not include advising,diagnosing or prescribing. That would be the domain of other professionals,usually licensed to counsel. The primary aim of hypnosis itself isself-healing, and self change. The hypnotist's job is to assist the subject toachieve those natural states of mind where healing and change best happen. Usedcorrectly, hypnosis is especially useful for tapping into that awesome power ofthe human mind.

If you can think it, and believe it, hypnosis can help makeit so.

For more information about hypnosis, visit www.SandersHypnosis.com

Provided by World Hypnotism Day

World Hypnotism Day is January 4th
[Click here for details]

Can Hypnosis Make You Thin?

2011-10-17T01:45:00.000-04:00

CAN HYPNOSIS MAKE YOU THIN?

Tiredof carrying around an extra twenty pounds? Tired of diets that don’t work?

Hypnosismay be the answer for you – no, it doesn’t work miracles. It’s not a magicbullet that immediately makes you love exercise. It is a deep state ofrelaxation and intense mental focus that can help you re-program old attitudesand beliefs about eating and maintaining a healthy weight.

“Whileyou’re in a state of hypnosis, your subconscious mind is more available to you,more open to receive suggestions that will become a natural part of newbehaviors” explains Brian Sanders of Sanders Hypnosis Center.

“Suggestionsto your subconscious mind bypass the critical mind, which you use day-to-dayand go straight to the part of the mind that controls habits,” Sanders added. “This allows you togo through with any changes you have decided to make in your life.”

Someof the messages seem pretty simple, and they are. It’s just where they reside that makes thedifference. Suggestions such as “you eatonly in response to your body’s natural need for food as fuel” or “you feelcompletely satisfied with three small nutritious meals a day” or “yourenjoyment of a regular exercise program grows with each time you visit thegym.” Repetition of these suggestionscan boost your determination and enhance your conscious willpower, when youhave such a desire.

But,and it is a big but, hypnosis alone is not enough. It takes a combination of behavioralmodification and understanding to achieve a permanent healthy eating pattern. A well trained hypnotist addresses all theissues, because once you realize why you are eating when you are not hungry,you can begin to change that behavior.

Mentalimagery is another important part of hypnosis. While in a hypnotic state, yourhypnotist may lead you through an imaginary journey seeing yourself in clothesthat you have grown out of. You mightimagine the positive comments of friends or co-workers. You might be encouraged to use all fivesenses to experience yourself growing thinner, stronger, and healthier. Studies show that the more real your innerexperience, the more likely the final results will match your mental imagery.

Whileit’s not magic, hypnosis, when used as part of an overall program of behavioralmodification and attitude adjustment, can be that extra dimension your weightloss program needs for long-term success. And a good hypnotist teaches the client self-hypnosis as a part of thetreatment program. In the battle of the bulge, it can just be the tool thatmakes the difference between success and failure.

“Moreand more people are using hypnosis and self-hypnosis to enable themselves to bethe best they can be,” explains Sanders “Once you’ve learned self-hypnosis, it can stay with you for therest of your life and help you achieve any goal you set your mind to.”

For more information, visit www.SandersHypnosis.com.

Provided by World Hypnotism Day

World Hypnotism Day is January 4th
[Click here for details]

Facts About Hypnosis From Current Research Findings

2011-10-17T01:32:00.002-04:00

Facts About Hypnosis From Current Research Findings

Did you know?

As of December, 2004 there are more than 5,000 clinicalresearch studies having to do with hypnosis and its benefits currently beingconducted worldwide? (According to: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/)
As of December 15, 2004 results from more than 3,000clinical research studies are available showing positive benefits fromhypnosis? (According to: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/)
According to studies done at the Institute of CognitiveNeuroscience, University College London, suggestions given in a hypnotic state,even once, can produce actions in human beings that are the same type of actions that would haveresulted from more long-term conditioning and practice.
In a research study on Self-hypnosis for relapse preventiontraining with chronic drug/alcohol users, (Am J Clin Hypn. 2004Apr;46(4):281-97), individuals who played self-hypnosis audiotapes "atleast 3 to 5 times a week," at 7-week follow-up, reported the highestlevels of self-esteem and serenity, and the least anger/impulsivity, incomparison to the minimal-practice and control groups.
In a research study done with 60 college student volunteers(Spring of 2004 at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona), usinghypnosis with ego-enhancement suggestions showed "significantly dramaticeffects" in brain-wave patterns, subjective sense of self-confidence, andtest scores.
As reported by NewScientist.com news service: "Hypnosis is more than just a party trick; itmeasurably changes how the brain works," says John Gruzelier, a researchpsychologist at Imperial College in London. "Hypnosis significantlyaffects the activity in a part of the brain responsible for detecting andresponding to errors, an area that controls higher level executivefunctions." The finding is one ofthe first to indicate a biological mechanism underpinning the experience of hypnosis. “This explains why, under hypnosis, people cando outrageous things that ordinarily they wouldn’t dream of doing,” saysGruzelier, who presented his study at the British Association for theAdvancement of Science Festival in Exeter, UK. Gruzelier hopes it will alsobenefit emerging research showing, for example, that hypnosis can help cancerpatients deal with painful treatments.
Research using positron emission tomography (PET) scans,shows that hypnosis might alleviate pain by decreasing the activity of brainareas involved in the experience of suffering. Scientists have found thathypnosis reduced the activity of the anterior cingulate cortex, an area known to be involved in pain, butdid not affect the activity of the somatosensory cortex, where the sensations of pain areprocessed.
Clinical trials of therapeutic hypnosis confirm itspotential benefits. Christina Liossi, a psychologist at the University of Walesin Swansea, recently conducted a study of 80 cancer patients aged 6 to 16. Shefound that those under hypnosis experienced far less pain during treatmentsthan control children, who simply talked to the researchers normally.
According to published results of clinical studies (Am JClin Hypn. 2004 Apr), the use of hypnosis facilitates a more uncomplicatedbirth process. In a separate researchstudy done by University of Florida counseling psychologist Paul Schauble, itwas also found that women who learn hypnosis before delivering babies sufferfewer complications, need less medication and are more likely to have healthierbabies than are women without hypnosis. Schauble's first study involved adolescents getting prenatal care at apublic health clinic. A group of 20 patients who received hypnosis preparationwere compared with 20 who were given supportive counseling and 20 patients in acontrol group who received only the standard prenatal care. None of the womenwho received hypnosis required surgical intervention in their deliveries,compared with 12 in the supportive counseling group and eight in the controlgroup, he said. "Patients who are prepared for labor and delivery inhypnosis are more likely to absorb and benefit from information because theyare in a relaxed, highly focused state," he said.
In an ongoing pilot study being done by University ofFlorida counseling psychologist Paul Schauble, preliminary results showhypnotized patients with hypertension are more easily able to make lifestyleimprovements that can lower blood pressure.
A study being done by a team of University of Floridaresearchers is finding that learning self-hypnosis gives a patient greatercontrol over the stress, anxiety and pain of medical operations and childbirth,overall. "Training patients in hypnosis prior to undergoing surgery is away of helping them develop a sense of control over their stress, discomfortand anxiety," says Dr. Paul Schauble, psychologist. "It also helpsthem better understand what they can do to bring about a more satisfying andrapid recovery." He also said,"We've found, in working with individual patients, that they often feelliterally stripped of control when they go into the hospital. The surgeon maydo a good job of explaining the surgery, but patients' anxiety may make itdifficult for them to absorb or comprehend. This can result in undueapprehension that can create complications or prolonged recovery."
"Children make excellent subjects for hypnosis becausethey spend more time using their imaginations," says Florida counseling psychologistPaul Schauble. "But with practice most adults can learn how to enter intoa therapeutic hypnotic state quite easily as well."
In 1998 Henry Szechtman of McMaster University in Ontarioand his co-workers used PET to image the brain activity of hypnotized subjectswho were invited to imagine a scenario in which they were listening to someonespeaking to them, and who then actually experienced a scenario in which theywere listening to someone speaking to them. The researchers noted that the actof imagining a sound, called hallucinating a sound, was experienced exactly thesame as real hearing, both being experienced as coming from an external source.
18 separate studies found that patients who receivedcognitive behavioral therapy plus hypnosis for disorders such as obesity,insomnia, anxiety and hypertension showed greater improvement than 70 percentof the patients who received psychotherapy alone.

For more information about hypnosis and how it can help you, visit www.SandersHypnosis.com.

Disclaimer:

Hypnosis cannot, and should not, stand alone as the solemedical or psychological

intervention for any disorder. Hypnosis should not be usedinstead of appropriate medical, dental, or psychological treatment, and anyindividual with a medical or psychological problem should first consult aqualified health care provider for diagnosis and professional advice. Hypnosisshould only be practiced by those who have been appropriately trained, whopractice appropriately, and within the scope of their training.

Information compiled by GwynethMcNeil, Certified Hypnotist and Certified Instructor with the National Guild ofHypnotists and Managing Director of Academy of Life Management in Salt LakeCity, Utah. 3098 Highland Drive Suite #317 - Salt Lake City, Utah 84117

Provided by World Hypnotism Day

World Hypnotism Day is January 4th
[Click here for details]

Tip On Choosing a Hypnotherapist: Get Testimonials!

2011-10-16T02:22:00.000-04:00

Make sure your hypnotherapist can provide testimonials from clients!

Just the other day, an individual who was inquiring about our Gastric Band Hypnosis Program asked if we could connect her with some of our former clients so she could talk with them. This is a completely understandable request. However, just like your medical provider, HIPAA rules pertaining to client confidentiality prohibits us from releasing the full names of our clients. Even if HIPAA rules didn't exist, we still would respect the privacy of our clients.

That being said, we are still able to provide numerous written, video, and audio testimonials from clients who have agreed to have their testimony shared. These testimonials range from individuals who have been helped with our Gastric Band Hypnosis program to stress and anxiety management, to stroke recovery. They are available for your viewing on our website. Simply click here to see them!

Brian Sanders, NGH Certified Instructor, Attends Worldwide Conference For Hypnosis Professionals

2011-10-10T21:45:00.002-04:00

Leading Edge Program Focused On Value of Hypnosis in Improving Everyday Life for Millions of People

Glen Burnie, Maryland, October 10, 2011 -- From helping people overcome their fears to honing personal development skills and goal achievement to assisting with pain management hypnosis has long been a valid tool for millions of people. With a theme of CONCEIVE … BELIEVE … ACHIEVE, The National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH.net) of Merrimack, New Hampshire held its 24th annual educational conference and convention at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Attending this year’s event was Brian Sanders of Glen Burnie, Maryland. Leading experts from around the globe shared the latest insights and techniques to help professional consulting hypnotists bring the value of hypnosis to several areas of the health and wellness fields.

“This was an incredible experience,” said Mr. Sanders, “The networking with peers around the world was tremendous, and the workshops presented a wealth of insight and skill building that I know my clients will value.”

“This is the world’s super conference for professional hypnotists. All told, there were about 1200 hypnotists in town for a plethora of intensive educational workshops,” said Dr. Dwight Damon, President and Founder of the National Guild of Hypnotists. “Our annual convention took place August 12th -14th with multiple tracks for any number of disciplines in the profession.” As Dr. Damon explains, “Our training programs are conducted by award-winning speakers, published authors, and other professional hypnotists from around the world. Many of the speakers were from outside the United States. We may be the National Guild of Hypnotists, but this is truly an international event."

While the attendees represent many countries, varied hypnosis skill levels, and a diversity of occupations, they were united in their goal of using hypnotism as a valuable tool for helping others. Some of the course topics included certifications in: stress management; pain management; hypno-oncology; sleep improvement, new answers for diabetes; and helping people help themselves with hypnosis. Many of the topics also applied to sales and marketing professionals and non-hypnotists seeking to improve their influence and persuasion skills.

Dr. Dwight Damon continued, "Even though the NGH Convention is a time for intensive study and skill development, we like to remind people that the event is frequently described as, 'the world's largest and friendliest professional hypnotism conference.' The three days NGH spends in Marlborough, MA, are an incredible time for networking for the world’s top hypnotists.
People leave the NGH Convention with new professional relationships, new mentors and most importantly, new friends."

Hypnotism is an accepted and recognized treatment option regularly utilized by many health care workers, counselors and other mental health professionals. Hypnosis provides a valuable tool for
enhancing an individual's ability to deal with pain or stress, or to assist in diminishing undesirable behavior patterns. As the use of hypnotism increases, so does the demand for those
who are trained to provide it.

Celebrating 61 years of service worldwide, the Guild is also celebrating its 24th Convention Anniversary. The largest and oldest organization of its kind, the National Guild of Hypnotists
provides a wide range of support and professional development services for hypnotists on every continent. Its mission is, in part, to educate the public about the value of hypnosis and also to
continue its leadership role in expanding the profession of a certified consulting hypnotist.

# # # #

The National Guild of Hypnotists, Inc. is a not-for-profit, educational corporation. Founded in Boston, MA in 1950/51, the Guild is a professional organization comprised of dedicated

individuals committed to advancing the field of hypnotism. The National Guild of Hypnotists has over 10,000 members, representing 70 countries around the world. There are NGH certified
trainers in 44 US states and 28 countries around the world. Learn more at http://www.sandershypnosis.com/ or http://www.ngh.net/.

I.R.S. Tax Credit For Hypnosis!

2011-10-06T11:44:00.000-04:00

You Can Get 100% Reimbursement for your Weight Loss

and/or Smoking Cessation Hypnotherapy Programs

with an I.R.S. Tax Credit!

Tax laws passed for 2003 onwards mean you can get a tax credit that reimburses you 100% for money paid for smoking programs.

You can also be reimbursed 100% for weight loss programs if you were advised by a physician to lose weight.

This is a tax credit – not a tax deduction, so that means 100% credit on your taxes!

The information below is presented as a courtesy from Academy of NLP & Hypnosis and is quoted from pages 12 and 15 of IRS Publication 502 year 2003.

Stop-Smoking Programs

You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay for a program to stop smoking. However, you cannot include in medical expenses amounts you pay for drugs that do not require a prescription, such as nicotine gum or patches that are designed to help stop smoking.

Weight-Loss Programs

You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay to lose weight if it is a treatment for a specific disease diagnosed by a physician (such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes or heart disease). This includes fees you pay for membership in a weight reduction group and attendance at periodic meetings. You cannot include membership dues in a gym, health club, or spa as medical expenses, but you can include separate fees charged there for weight loss activities.

How to Report

To claim the credit, complete Form 8885, Health Coverage Tax Credit, and attach it to your Form 1040 or Form 1040NR. Report the credit on Form 1040, line 67, or Form 1040NR, line 62, and check box c. You cannot claim the credit on Form 1040A or Form 1040EZ.

You must attach invoices and proof of payment for any amounts you include on line 2 of Form 8885 for which you did not receive an advance payment. If you file your return electronically, attach the invoices and proof of payment to your Form 8453. Proof of payment may include a pay stub if insurance is through a spouse’s employment, a bank check, or bank statement for premiums that are automatically deducted from your account.

If you claim this credit, you cannot take the same expenses that you use to figure your health coverage tax credit into account in determining your:

Medical and dental expenses on Schedule A (Form 1040)

Self-employed health insurance deduction, or

Archer Medical Savings Account (MSA) distributions.

Special thanks to Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD.

Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland

Lose Weight With Your Droid Phone!

2011-09-13T02:23:00.000-04:00

CLICK HERE TO GET IT!

Lose Weight Naturally! Safe and Effective + Get Our Ebook, Hypnosis 101, for FREE!

This is the program you have been looking for to help you lose weight! This is the MOST EFFECTIVE weight loss app available in the Android Marketplace!

In addition to the home audio hypnosis program contained in this app, you will also receive our Ebook, Hypnosis 101, for FREE! This book will tell you what hypnosis is and what it isn't. This alone is worth far more than the cost of this app!

ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS WITH HYPNOSIS!

Finally! A program for those who want a natural and EASY, DRUG FREE way to achieve their goals and change their habits and behaviors created by a nationally board certified hypnotherapist and trainer of hypnotherapists. This is the exact same program we give to each one of our weight loss clients to use at home!

This program provides powerful, step-by-step hypnotic techniques that will allow you to become the person you desire. Due to the binaural technologies utilized in this program, it is recommended that you listen to this session using headphones.

Suggestions Include:

• Deep relaxation

• Lose the weight you want

• Look fit and trim

• Feel better about yourself

• Decrease health risks

• And much, much more!

To save valuable storage space on your SD card, your session will be streamed from our secure server. Please give it a moment to load.

Listen and watch your life change for the better.

This hypnosis program helps you to:

•Make behavior changes effortlessly

•Be free of unhealthy habits

•Feel good about yourself

•Enjoy a healthier lifestyle

•Become the person you desire

•Experience hypnosis in a comfortable surrounding

•Become healthier, happier and more successful

Listen to this program and change your life!

WARNING: DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS RECORDING WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING HEAVY MACHINERY!

CLICK HERE TO GET IT!

Got STRESS? Got DROID? Download our new app.!

2011-09-12T22:43:00.000-04:00

CLICK HERE TO GET IT!

The MOST EFFECTIVE stress management app available + FREE Ebook, Hypnosis 101!This is the program you have been looking for to help you eliminate stress! This is the MOST EFFECTIVE stress and anxiety reduction app available in the Android Marketplace!

In addition to the home audio hypnosis program contained in this app, you will also receive our Ebook, Hyposis 101, for FREE! This book will tell you what hypnosis is and what it isn't. This alone is worth far more than the cost of this app!

ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS WITH HYPNOSIS!

Finally! A program for those who want a natural and EASY, DRUG FREE way to achieve their goals and change their habits and behaviors created by a nationally board certified hypnotherapist and trainer of hypnotherapists. This is the exact same program we give to each one of our stress and anxiety clients to use at home!

This program provides powerful, step-by-step hypnotic techniques that will allow you to become the person you desire. Due to the binaural technologies utilized in this program, it is recommended that you listen to this session using headphones.

Suggestions Include:

• Deep relaxation

• Increased personal satisfaction

• Life balance

• Improved productivity

• And much, much more!

To save valuable storage space on your SD card, your session will be streamed from our secure server. Please give it a moment to load.

Listen and watch your life change for the better.

This hypnosis program helps you to:

• Make behavior changes effortlessly

• Be free of unhealthy habits

• Feel good about yourself

• Enjoy a healthier lifestyle

• Become the person you desire

• Experience hypnosis in a comfortable surrounding

• Become healthier, happier and more successful

Listen to this program and change your life!

WARNING: DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS RECORDING WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING HEAVY MACHINERY!

CLICK HERE TO GET IT!

Quit Smoking In One Hour With Our Droid App! And Get Our Ebook, Hypnosis 101, For FREE!

2011-09-12T17:27:00.000-04:00

CLICK HERE TO GET IT!

This is the program you have been looking for to help you quit smoking! This is the MOST EFFECTIVE smoking cessation app available in the Android Marketplace!

In addition to the home audio hypnosis program contained in this app, you will also receive our Ebook, Hyposis 101, for FREE! This book will tell you what hypnosis is and what it isn't. This alone is worth far more than the cost of this app!

ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS WITH HYPNOSIS!

Finally! A program for those who want a natural and EASY, DRUG FREE way to achieve their goals and change their habits and behaviors created by a nationally board certified hypnotherapist and trainer of hypnotherapists. This is the exact same program we give to each one of our smoking cessation clients to use at home!

This program provides powerful, step-by-step hypnotic techniques that will allow you to become the person you desire. Due to the binaural technologies utilized in this program, it is recommended that you listen to this session using headphones.

Suggestions Include:

•Quit Smoking

•Be Free Of All Smoking Desires

•Feel Good About Yourself

•Become Healthier and Happier

•And much more!

To save valuable storage space on your SD card, your session will be streamed from our secure server. Please give it a moment to load.

Listen and watch your life change for the better.

This hypnosis program helps you to:

•Make behavior changes effortlessly

•Be free of unhealthy habits

•Fee good about yourself

•Enjoy a healthier lifestyle

•Become the person you desire

•Experience hypnosis in a comfortable surrounding

•Become healthier, happier and more successful

Listen to this program and change your life!

WARNING: DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS RECORDING WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING HEAVY MACHINERY!

CLICK HERE TO GET IT!

Three out of every four U.S. health-care workers use some form of complementary or alternative medicine or practice to help stay healthy

2011-08-27T00:49:00.001-04:00

Many Health-Care Workers Have Turned to Alternative Medicine

Their use of everything from herbals to massage exceeds that of the general public, research suggests.

FRIDAY, Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Three out of every four U.S. health-care workers use some form of complementary or alternative medicine or practice to help stay healthy, a new report shows.

What's more, doctors, nurses and their assistants, health technicians, and healthcare administrators were actually more likely than the general public to use any number of wide-ranging alternative medicine options, including massage, yoga, acupuncture, Pilates or herbal medicines.

"No one has really done this sort of analysis before, so when I saw our results I was authentically surprised," acknowledged study co-author Lori Knutson, executive director of the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing with the Allina Health System in Minneapolis. "But pleasantly so. Because clearly this means that even our health-care workers are recognizing the need for alternative options in the search for ways to improve our health and lives."

Knutson and her colleagues reported their findings this month in the journal Health Services Research.

According to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (part of the National Institutes of Health), about 38 percent of Americans currently avail themselves of some form of complementary/alternative medicine, which can also include dietary supplements, meditation, chiropractic services, Pilates, and Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine.

The poll data, collected in 2007 as part of the National Health Interview Survey, looked at use among a nationally representative sample of more than 14,300 working adults 18 years old and up. About 1,300 of those surveyed were health-care providers and workers employed in either a hospital or ambulatory environment.

The survey covered 36 different forms of options, including therapies involving body manipulation, mind-body and biological-based therapies, and energy-healing treatments.

Doctors and nurses were found to be more than twice as likely as non-clinical health-care support workers to have tried out a practitioner-based complementary or alternative medicine service (such as a chiropractor) in the past year.

They were also almost three times as likely to have "self-treated" using complementary/alternative approaches versus their technical or administrative colleagues.

Overall, health-care workers were found to be bigger users of complementary/alternative medicine than those outside the health-care industry. Seventy-six percent of health-care workers said they had used such methods in the past year, compared to 63 percent of people working in non-healthcare fields.

And even when diets, vitamins, minerals, and/or herbal supplements were excluded from the range of options, health-care workers were still significantly more likely to have tried out a complementary medicine product or service over the prior year than the general public (41 percent versus 30 percent.)

But the reasons health-care workers turned to alterative/complementary medicine were similar to those seen elsewhere, with back, neck and joint pain being the three most prevalent concerns.

"In general, Western culture has believed that complementary services and techniques aren't as well-researched and evidence-based as conventional medicine," noted Knutson. "But that is certainly no longer the case. And so what I hope comes from this insight into practitioner use of complementary options is an opening up of the conversation between providers and patients about the use and potential of alternative medicine."

Judy Blatman, a spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based Council for Responsible Nutrition, which represents the supplements industry, seconded that notion.

"These results are not surprising, as in fact we've had similar findings looking at health-care practitioner attitudes and uses regarding dietary supplements," she noted. "So this is consistent with out own research."

"And I would agree," said Blatman, "that seeing that the very people who are considered to be the leaders in health are themselves more and more willing to go beyond what was a traditional model of treatment could be very helpful to consumers. Because we find that often patients feel uncomfortable talking to their providers about non-traditional disciplines for fear of being discounted. So this should put everyone more at ease."

Experts typically advise that any patient who turned to an alternative or complementary therapy first consult with their doctor.

Because dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the same way traditional medicines are, and some supplements interact with traditional medicines, patients should also talk with their doctors before taking supplements and keep their physicians current on any supplements or alternative medicines they are using.

More information

For more information about how hypnosis can help you, vist Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland.

(SOURCES: Lori Knutson, executive director, Penny George Institute for Health And Healing, Allina Health System, Minneapolis; Judy Blatman, spokesperson and senior vice president, communications, Council for Responsible Nutrition, Washington, D.C.; Aug. 19, 2011, Health Services Research, online)

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

Fear of Hurricanes? Lilapsophobia!

2011-08-26T13:19:00.001-04:00

Hurricane Irene is just around the corner. If the thought of this terrifies you, you just might be suffering from Lilapsophobia, or fear of tornadoes and hurricanes. This can be seen as a more severe form of astraphobia, which is a fear of thunder and lightning. If you suffer from lilapsophobia, it is not the average summer storm that you fear, but the possibility of that storm becoming severe. This phobia is relatively common, although rarer than astraphobia.

Causes of Lilapsophobia

Like many phobias, the fear of tornadoes and hurricanes is often traced to a negative experience. Perhaps you have been affected by severe weather that caused personal injury or property damage to you or someone you love. Or you might have been spared by a tornado that wreaked havoc in your neighborhood, possibly adding a bit of survivor guilt to the mix.

If you have been through a truly devastating storm experience such as Hurricane Katrina, it is particularly important to seek professional advice. In addition to lilapsophobia, it is possible that you are experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.

Lilapsophobia, like many phobias, may also be learned. If your parents, friends or relatives are afraid of tornadoes and hurricanes, you may have picked up their fear.

Symptoms of Lilapsophobia

While it is normal and rational to check weather forecasts before outdoor activities, many people with lilapsophobia find that the weather controls their lives. You might spend a great deal of time watching the Weather Channel or tracking storms online. You may refuse to go out on days when storms are predicted.

When a storm hits, you may display unusual behaviors. Constantly checking for weather alerts; hiding under the bed or in a closet; and even putting a full tornado plan into effect as soon as the rain begins are all common among those with this fear. You might listen closely to the storm for sounds of tornado activity, or you might attempt to drown out the storm altogether with loud music or movies.

Many people find that lilapsophobia is worsened by being alone. You might call friends in a panic, or arrange your schedule such that you are rarely alone. Some people with this phobia find that going to a mall, a movie theater or a library can help them control their panic.

Over time, you might find that your daily activities become more and more restricted. You might become unwilling to enter buildings that you do not find “safe,” even on clear, sunny days. You may refuse to take part in outdoor activities or long road trips for fear that a storm might hit.

Lilapsophobia in Children

Many children go through a phase of astraphobia, or fear of storms. Lilapsophobia is not as common in children, but may certainly appear. Young children who are just learning to separate fantasy from reality are especially susceptible to fears caused by media images and adult conversations. If a major storm is profiled on television or discussed by adults, children may become afraid that it will happen to them.

Because fears are a normal part of development, phobias are generally not diagnosed in children unless they persist for more than six months. Try to reassure your child about the relative rarity of major storms, and explain your storm readiness procedures to him. Of course, it is important to tell the child’s doctor if the phobia is severe or persistent, as a therapist referral may be necessary.

Lilapsophobia in Popular Culture

Hollywood films such as Twister (1996) address the effects of lilapsophobia. In that film, Dr. Jo Harding, played by Helen Hunt, witnesses her father’s death in a tornado. As an adult, she fights the resulting lilapsophobia by becoming a storm chaser. The film features highly realistic footage of major tornadoes, so it is not the best choice for those suffering from this fear.

Tornadoes and hurricanes are a part of life, and today’s media offers the opportunity to view devastating storms and their aftermath repeatedly, in vivid high definition detail. Although the coverage is certainly important, it is equally important to put such coverage into perspective. While small weather events happen frequently, only those that are severe are deemed newsworthy. Media coverage can easily lead to a skewed belief that serious storms are much more common than they actually are.

Rational Preparedness

Although your chances of being caught in a killer storm are relatively small, the risks are real. Therefore, it is important to be prepared. The key is to recognize the difference between rational preparedness and phobic reactions.

If you live in a storm-prone area, get a copy of your area’s official preparedness literature. These documents are often distributed in grocery stores, libraries and other public locations. Read through the recommendations and put together a storm readiness plan.

If you share a household, let someone else monitor the weather. That person can alert you about any specific dangers and help you decide the best course of action. This will take some of the pressure off you, and can help you avoid obsessive checking.

Learn about the types of storms that affect your area. For examples, hurricanes can be devastating but are predicted far in advance. Tornadoes can develop quickly, but only under certain weather conditions. Learning about the types of storms that may affect you can help you make more rational decisions about confronting them.

Help With Lilapsophobia

Like many fears, sufferes of lilapsophobia can be helped with hypnosis. It is crucial to find a qualified hypnotist you can trust to help you conquer your fears. Visit www.SandersHypnosis.com for help with your fear of Hurricane Irene!

Many thanks to Lisa Fritscher of About.com for her Lilapsophobia research.

Don't Donate to Maryland Legal Aid

2011-08-24T17:35:00.001-04:00

Many of my colleagues, friends, and clients know that I am a staunch opponent of domestic violence. I have female clients who come through my doors who are battered by their husbands and boyfriends, who seek out help but cannot get it. The Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland (in Anne Arundel County, specifically) is one such example. For years my clients seek out legal assistance from this organisation but are consistently turned away and told to seek help at the self-help center, which is a library housed in the circuit court of Anne Arundel County. Essentially, they are told to read a book and become their own lawyer. This amounts to standing up in front of a judge, their abuser, and their paid, experienced attorney and representing themselves. Since we know that battered women are thrown into the street with nothing except for the clothes on their back, we also know that this is an impossible challenge.

So, send your money elsewhere. Give to a cause where your money matters.

Fear of Earthquakes? Seismophobia!

2011-08-23T19:16:00.000-04:00

Earthquakes on the east coast? Who would have thought? As I was enjoying a sunny day in downtown Annapolis, the earth began to shake. Having never experienced an earthquake before, it took me about 30 seconds to realize what was happening. I think the feeling was mutual because at around that time, everybody around began to panic.

Nobody could see it coming, but its effects can shatter your confidence. Unlike tornadoes or hurricanes, earthquakes can test the limits of fear simply because its dramatic entrance is unannounced. The phobia name associated with this common fear is Seismophobia. Until now, this fear was not as well-noticed on the east coast because earthquakes were, very simply, uncommon, but for those who live in California or parts of China the occasional tremor can leave them exhausted in their fear. Now folks on the east coast may experience the feelings associated with seismophobia.

What Causes Seismophobia? This fear is often the direct result of either living through an earthquake and replaying the mental images of destruction and the internal fears of original panic. It can also be enhanced or introduced by horror stories from others who have lived through an event or obsess about the possibility of the next big earthquake.

Like many fears this one is often linked to the personal response of someone who has lived through an earthquake and has grown to fear them in a dramatic fashion.

Visual images of earthquake damage can further enhance or solidify the notion that earthquakes are among the worst natural disasters known to man.

A healthy respect for this natural phenomenon is valid. An obsession with an earthquake creates an environment where seismophobia can grow.

The fear of earthquakes can occur in something as innocent as a large truck passing by that caused a floor to vibrate in its wake. The sense of panic along with an adrenalin rush often follows virtually any vibration for a seismophobe.

Other symptoms may include…

Elevated or irregular heart rates
Elevated body temperature and sweating
Anxiety or panic attack
Temporary loss of control of bodily functions
Nausea
Screaming
An acute sense of dread
Air hunger
An inability to immediately rationalize the fear
When these fear symptoms begin to express themselves the seismophobe will often indicate they have no control over their response to an earthquake event.

How Hypnosis Can Help

Hypnotists can and should play a role in helping to curb the incidence of earthquake fears. Sufferers can be educated about the causes of an earthquake and why most seismic activity does not result in a loss of life. A hypnotist can help you identify the root causes of the fear and address those underlying reasons for the fear response.

A fear of earthquakes is considered a common and often healthy response to the event. The trouble stems from allowing a healthy respect to blossom into an unreasoning fear.

It is also possible other fears may be tied to this phobia. Things such as a fear of death, a fear of small spaces and a fear of the dark can all provide fuel for the flame of your fear.

Sometimes your fear can be be unmasked in much the same way an onion is peeled. Layers upon layers need to systematically be removed to help you get to the heart of those things you fear most.

Remember some phobias can actually be symptomatic of a root fear. Dealing with a single fear may not always remove anxiety from your life. Seeking help to locate the originating fear is the most helpful in determining a cause.

For more information about how hypnosis can help you with your fear of earthquakes, visit www.SandersHypnosis.com.

Giants' Manager Bruce Bochy: Hypnosis Helped End Tobacco Habit

2011-08-10T21:24:00.000-04:00

This was published yesterday in the San Francisco Chronicle. It's wonderful when celebrities are successful with hypnosis because it really helps us to spread the good word about the positive and amazing things it can help people with. For more information about how hypnosis can help you and also hypnosis training and certification in Maryland, visit our website at www.SandersHypnosis.com.

And now, the article.....

___________________________________________

Ask Bruce Bochy if he has a dip and the Giants' manager offers a standard response: "I don't do that anymore."

Bullpen catcher Bill Hayes answers the same way. Equipment manager Mike Murphy, too.

They've reached this point because of hypnotherapist AlVera Paxson, who is developing quite the reputation for helping the World Series champions kick some nasty, decades-old habits.

Bochy hasn't touched chewing tobacco since April 14, the night before seeing Paxson during his team's first trip to Arizona. Hayes has gone without since Jan. 26. It's two years down for Murphy. No carrying around those little tobacco cans for these three any longer.

Bochy had his doubts when Hayes told him in spring training that he had stopped dipping following one thorough session with Paxson, a medical hypnotherapist.

Hayes succeeded after Paxson already had aided Murphy in stopping. She also worked with Murphy's wife, Carole, to help her quit smoking.

"I'm a believer," Murphy said.

"It's been the best $300 I ever spent," Hayes said. "It's weird to see how it works."

Bochy agrees. He already would have spent well more than $300 on dip by this point in the season, he said.

Last year, Bochy tried Nicorette gum and an array of different non-tobacco, herbal dips. He made it about a month, then hit hard times and fell back into his old dipping ways.

Not this time. Bochy - a skeptic on these sorts of things - had to see for himself if he could kick his nearly 40-year pattern of dipping before and after games and several times during the course of nine innings. He did it in the first, fifth and eighth innings. That had been his routine, a go-to stress reliever.

When he left Paxson's office, minus his $300 investment, Bochy headed straight to Chase Field for a game against the Diamondbacks.

He arrived in the clubhouse and didn't want a dip. The game started and there were no cravings. He has handled the occasional urges since then.

"It was really strange," Bochy said. "There are so many triggers that you have that make you want to put a dip in. The following day, I did have an urge, not a real strong one. I said, 'OK, I've had my day off, now it's time to put one in.' "

He didn't do it.

"The next game, I did have an urge. The next two to three days, I still had an urge, but it just wasn't as strong as other times I've tried to quit," he said. "When I got past the fourth or fifth day, I was over it. I didn't crave it. I didn't want it. I was fine."

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/08/09/SPRS1KKSUL.DTL

This article appeared on page B - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Breast Implants at 83: WHAT???

2011-08-10T12:48:00.000-04:00

ABC News published an article today about an 83-year old senior woman who received breast implants. I have no problem with this, as she can do whatever she wants with her body; I totally get it. However, I honed in and was a little disturbed by some things she said.

"It was more about looking in the mirror and liking who I am."

and

"I want my children to be proud of what I look like."

She clearly has a negative image of her physical self. To correct this, she elected to undergo the procedure. She wants her "children to be proud" of what she looks like. PROUD OF WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE?

Forget the fact that she has four children, 13 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and is a busy, energetic property manager in Orange County, CA. She's probably a wonderful mother and grandmother. Why is it so important for her children and their children to be PROUD of what she looks like?

I believe that there are issues involved that, once addressed, she wouldn't have had to resort to surgery. The surgery is just a band-aid for other issues that lie beneath the surface. Self-esteem, confidence, self-image, and other issues can be addressed very successfully with hypnotherapy. She could have saved herself a lot of money and the risk of surgery.

For more information about how hypnosis can help you with your own self-confidence and self-esteem, visit Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland.

Breast Implants at 83: Senior Citizens Elect More Plastic Surgery Than Ever Before - ABC News

Washington Talent Agency & So Fresh Entertainment Presents FLASHmob in Ocean City

2011-08-08T02:12:00.000-04:00

While I absolutely love talking and writing about hypnosis, sometimes I like to make brief departures from it and discuss other enlightening topics. Here is one example of said departure:

Yesterday, at 2:40pm sharp, some of my wonderful friends from Washington Talent Agency and So Fresh Entertainment played host to a FLASHmob on the Boardwalk in Ocean City, MD. MC FRESH, MC MOSES, Destiny, Alexa and 40 of O.C.'s finest, spontaneously entertained the public on the boardwalk today.

The site was a moment in time that will not soon be forgotten. Most often known to be one of the TOP MC/DJ Power House Entertainment Actson the East Coast for Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, Corporate Events and Private Parties, MC FRESH and MC MOSES brought 7 minutes of energy and tons of smiles to on-looker and beach-goes alike.

Check out the video here!

Great job everybody!!!

Hypnosis as an Alternative to Beta Blockers for Stage Fright

2011-07-29T21:36:00.000-04:00

Hypnosis as an Alternative to Beta Blockers for Stage Fright

By Brian Sanders, MS, CH

Stage fright, which is often referred to as performance anxiety, it is a debilitating condition that can devastate a person’s self-confidence and career. Attorneys, athletes, CEO’s, and other professionals can also suffer from stage fight. However, this article will focus on stage fright from a musician’s perspective due to this author’s personal experiences with this problem.

As a young trumpet performing artist, I suffered from a very severe case of stage fright. Throughout my high school and college studies, high-pressure performance situations such as recitals and master classes would cause my legs to shake rapidly, my mouth to become dry, and my mind to draw a blank except for thoughts of inevitable failure. All this would occur despite hundreds of hours spent in the practice room, mastering and perfecting each and every note.

I explored many strategies to cope with stage fright, from yoga and deep breathing exercises to creative visualization techniques. Eventually, a professor suggested that I try beta-blockers but made me promise to not to tell anybody who advised me of this. I’m still keeping the secret, but this was my first exposure to what is commonly called the “musician’s underground drug.”

Beta blockers are medications which block our body’s receptors for the physical effects of a person’s natural fight or flight response. The fight or flight response is an innate safety device triggered when our mind perceives a threat. It is a remnant from our prehistoric ancestors. Take the cave man, for example. He encounters a saber-toothed tiger. His adrenaline is released and an automatic decision is made: flee the situation and hope to outrun the ferocious predator or stay, roll the dice, and take his chances of killing it before it kills him. Most of us don’t have such worries anymore, but the mechanism is still present and is responsible for the behavior we experience when suffering from stage fright.

There are two views of thought about using beta blockers for musical performance. The first is that, despite the potential risks of hallucinations, nightmares, depression, decreased pulse, bronchial asthma, and heart failure that can lead to death, beta blockers can be a tool to assist an individual musician to perform at his or her very best. Many musicians are willing to take that risk if it increases their chances of getting a “gig.” On the other hand, there is a view (likely held by individuals who do not suffer from performance anxiety), that taking beta-blockers gives a performer an unfair advantage, much like an athlete who takes steroids. Although this is a topic of debate in the music community, a study of 2,122 musicians in major North American symphony orchestras reported that 22% of those musicians take, or have taken, beta blockers for performance anxiety. Granted, this figure only accounted for a small segment of professional musicians who were willing to divulge their use of the medication; it didn’t account for musicians in other smaller orchestras, military bands, opera and theatre vocalists, musicians working in other genres, etc. As such, it is likely that this figure is much higher.

I promptly made an appointment with my physician and, when I discussed my problem with him, he readily explained to me that medical students commonly take beta-blockers prior to taking exams. He then prescribed Propranolol, which seemed to do the trick for the physical symptoms. My legs stopped shaking and my mouth didn’t become dry. However, it did not solve the psychological problems: my mind continued to go blank and I still imagined inevitable failure. I settled upon the fact that any help is better than nothing at all, so I continued to use the medication.

In 2007 I found that the answer to my problem was far simpler than I could have imagined; it was with hypnosis that my problem with stage fright was finally solved. The source of my problems with stage fright stemmed from unresolved childhood conflict, or negative experience, which occurred before the age of eight; hypnotherapists call this source the Initial Sensitizing Event (ISE). A situation occurs which the mind is not mature enough to process or analyze. As adults, this ultimately manifests itself as stage fright. Most people suffering from stage fright have no recollection of the ISE and, as such, cannot explain why they have this problem. In their mind, it has just always been there.

There are two parts to our mind: the conscious part and the subconscious part. As you read this, you are using the conscious part to think about and process these words. It is always aware of what is occurring while you are awake. The subconscious part of our mind is like a computer hard-drive with thousands and thousands of computer programs that contain everything we have seen, heard, touched, and experienced.

Up until approximately the age of eight, both parts are of the mind are merged together. This is why children are so suggestible. For example, a child who experiences sexual trauma may repress those memories into adulthood. However, the experience has left a lasting imprint in the subconscious mind. That child then grows up to find him or herself following similar patterns, perhaps involved in drug or alcohol abuse or other negative patterns of behavior. However, the memory of the actual ISE is usually not present.

Hypnosis can be utilized to effectively “reprogram” the software in our subconscious mind. Once placed into hypnosis, the therapist invokes the feelings of stage fright to an almost unbearable degree and then uses regression techniques to take the client back to the time when they first experienced this feeling, the ISE. The client is then able to relive this experience with incredible detail by replaying it in his or her mind. Often, the event could be something silly or inconsequential to an adult yet seemingly devastating to a child. Depending on the severity of the ISE, the therapist could choose to reframe the experience to give the memory a positive slant or he could do nothing at all, simply allowing the adult mind to properly process and analyze the situation. The therapist would then have the client fast forward to any future negative imprints which generated similar feelings, the Subsequent Sensitizing Event (SSE), and deal with them in the same way. Finally, the therapist will have the client attempt to bring about the same feelings of panic and, if they are not present, then success was achieved.

In my practice at the Sanders Hypnosis Center in Glen Burnie, I have worked with dozens of professional musicians suffering from stage fright who fit this model. In one case, regression hypnosis for a graduate violin student yielded a childhood incident where she played poorly in a recital and had greatly disappointed her overbearing parents. In another case, a Russian piano player witnessed his private teacher get scolded and fired for working him too hard; he felt responsible for the teacher losing his job and going hungry. Certainly, from an adult perspective, an issue may seem relatively minor. However, to a child it can be extremely traumatic. The effectiveness of this approach is extremely favorable; one hundred percent of my stage fright clients have reported the complete elimination of their problem.

There is no question that hypnosis is a preferable alternative to beta-blockers. Hypnosis is completely natural and safe, and it has no negative side effects. Additionally, unlike beta-blockers, which temporarily address only the physical symptoms of stage fright, hypnosis can cause permanent physiological and psychological change.

For more information about hypnosis and stage fright, visit www.SandersHypnosis.com.

Published in The Baltimore Musician, the Official Journal of The Musicians' Association of Metropolitan Baltimore. Vol. 24, No. 4, June/July/August 2011.

Study Promises Major Breakthrough For Gastric Band Hypnosis

2011-07-05T14:00:00.000-04:00

We received an email today from Sheila Granger, the founder of the Virtual Gastric Band Program Hypnosis Program used by the Sanders Hypnosis Sanders in Glen Burnie, Maryland. A pilot study of our Gastric Band Hypnosis Program will be conducted in October 2011, in conjunction with the UK's Humberside Obesity, Nutrition, Education and Innovation Center, The University of Hull, Hull York Medical School and the Pharmaceutical Industry.

Upon completion of the pilot study, the trial will be conducted on an international level. The Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland is pleased to report that we will be participating in this study.

This is a major potential breakthrough, which raises education and awareness of Gastric Band Hypnosis and hypnotherapy in general as a valid method of helping individuals.

Note that this study only involves the Virtual Gastric Band Program developed by Sheila Granger, as utilized at the Sanders Hypnosis Center. When inquiring about Gastric Band Hypnosis, be sure that you are benefitting from the same program developed by Sheila Granger, as there are several different competitors out there.

Obesity Surgery Might Not Help Older Patients Live Longer, Study Suggests

2011-06-17T09:57:00.000-04:00

June 13, 2011 -- Extremely obese adults who are middle-age or older may not be lengthening their lives by having weight loss surgery, a new study reveals.

These findings differ from previous research, which has shown a modest improvement in survival rates. Other studies done on younger, female, or healthier populations have suggested an increased life span following these procedures.

But this current study looked at an older, predominantly male, and sicker group of adults, and the results did not show a decrease in mortality rates in patients after gastric bypass surgery during a nearly seven-year follow-up period.

"We looked at Roux-en-Y gastric bypass because that was the predominant procedure done when the research was conducted," says study researcher Matthew Maciejewski, PhD, an investigator at the center for Health Services Research in Primary Care at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Durham, N.C.

The research appears in the June 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Weight Loss Surgery and Risk of Death

Researchers analyzed data from 850 veterans who had weight loss surgery between January 2000 and December 2006 at one of 12 VA medical centers and a similar number of severely obese high-risk veterans who did not have the operation but received their health care from the same facilities. Among the surgical patients, 74% were male and 26% were female. Their average age was 49 and the average body mass index (BMI) was 47, which is considered severely obese.

When researchers compared mortality rates in the surgical group to a matched nonsurgical control group -- who had a similar age, BMI, race, gender mix, marital status, and number of participants who were super-obese (BMI of 50 or above) -- they did not find a lower mortality rate.

Why didn't gastric bypass extend life? Maciejewski says one possibility is that there is no survival benefit from weight loss surgery in this higher-risk, predominantly male group of patients after nearly seven years. A second explanation is that there could be a longer-term benefit that researchers didn't have enough time to observe.

A study from Sweden with a longer follow-up period found a survival benefit in patients, but it was not seen until an average of 13 years after weight loss surgery.

"In the Swedish research, some of the decreases in mortality found a decade or more later were caused by a reduction in deaths from cancer and heart disease," says Janey Pratt, MD, a bariatric surgeon and director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Loss Center in Boston, who was not involved in either of the two studies. "Perhaps in this latest research, the damage had already been done in older patients, and they're less likely to reap the benefits of surgery in terms of survival.”

Eleven of the 850 surgical patients died within a month of having gastric bypass. That's a mortality rate of 1.3%, which is four times higher than the one seen in an earlier study of weight loss surgery in younger, mostly female patients.

Pratt tells WebMD that it's much more difficult to do obesity surgery on male patients than females because of gender differences in the way fat is distributed on the body.

Women carry more of their fat in their hips and thighs, and belly fat is found mainly in the abdominal wall. But extremely obese men carry much of their fat in the belly, the so-called "apple" shape. They have thin abdominal walls but lots of fat floating around inside surrounding the gastrointestinal tract and organs where weight loss surgery takes place.

Weighing Risks and Benefits of Obesity Surgery

Roughly 220,000 Americans have obesity surgery per year, or 1% of the clinically eligible population, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. These operations, which include gastric bypass or gastric banding, make the stomach smaller so the amount of food eaten is reduced. With gastric bypass, fewer calories are also absorbed because food bypasses part of the small intestine.

"Even though this study did not suggest a survival benefit at nearly seven years, there are a host of other benefits from having bariatric surgery," Maciejewski tells WebMD. It's effective in producing weight loss, it decreases the use of medication for obesity-related health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, and it improves the quality of life.

Pratt frequently does weight loss surgery in people over 60, but she tells her patients that it's unlikely to prolong their life and more likely to improve their quality of life and decrease the number of medications they're currently taking.

Many go ahead and have the procedure. "But sometimes it's the quality of life benefits -- being able to sleep in the same bed as their spouse, sitting comfortably in a movie theater, or cutting their own toenails -- that's enough. It doesn't have to be living longer," says Pratt.

Original source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/weight-loss-surgery/news/20110613/weight-loss-surgery-middle-age-may-not-increase-survival

Visit Sanders Hypnosis Center to learn more about our safe, effective Gastric Band Hypnosis program with absolutely NO surgery involved

Bariatric Surgery Linked to Increased Fracture Risk

2011-06-07T05:09:00.000-04:00

For those wanting to lose weight, here is yet another reason why NOT to have bariatric surgery, but to participate in a Gastric Band Hypnosis Program such as that provided at the Sanders Hypnosis Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland instead.

New research has found that people who have had gastric bypass surgery or other bariatric weight-loss surgery have an even higher increased risk of breaking bones than previously found. These study findings will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society’s 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.

“A negative effect on bone health that may increase the risk of fractures is an important consideration for people considering bariatric surgery and those who have undergone bariatric surgery,” said lead author Kelly Nakamura, a medical student at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn.

Nakamura reported the final analysis of research presented two years ago in a small subset of the 258 patients included in this study. This full analysis showed that patients who had bariatric surgery have 2.3 times the chance of fractures compared with the general population, as opposed to the 1.8-fold increased risk found initially.

Patients who had bariatric surgery had an increased risk of a fracture at nearly all skeletal sites studied, according to the authors. The chance of breaking a foot or hand was especially high—about three times what would be expected, Nakamura said.

For comparison, the investigators studied the patients’ actual fracture rates reported in their medical records versus the expected fracture rates among people of the same age and sex living in the same county in Minnesota. Patients underwent bariatric surgery at Mayo Clinic Rochester between 1985 and 2004, with 94 percent of patients having a gastric bypass.

A total of 79 patients had 132 fractures during an average follow-up of nine years, the authors reported. On average, they experienced their first fracture about six years after surgery. This is a time when their primary health care provider, rather than their surgeon, usually is responsible for their care, said the study’s principal investigator, Kurt Kennel, MD, an assistant professor of medicine in the endocrinology division at Mayo Clinic.

After evaluating various fracture risk factors, the researchers found that patients who were more physically active before surgery had a lower fracture risk than those who were less active. Some of these obese patients may have been too debilitated to exercise, Kennel suggested.

“Clinicians may need to consider measures to optimize bone health and reduce fracture risk after bariatric surgery, such as fall prevention and optimizing calcium and vitamin D nutrition,” he said.

Kennel stressed, however, that the patients who had fractures did not necessarily develop osteoporosis. He said, “There are no data on whether bisphosphonates [osteoporosis medications] are safe or appropriate for this patient population. Further research is needed to understand why bariatric surgery negatively affects bone health and how best to prevent these fractures.”

Released: 6/3/2011 11:00 AM EDT
Embargo expired: 6/4/2011 2:00 PM EDT
Source: Endocrine Society

Aaron Lohr
alohr@endo-society.org
240-482-1380
www.newswise.com/articles/view/577410?print-article

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.

Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland
www.SandersHypnosis.com

Sanders Hypnosis Center of Maryland and our Virtual Gastric Band featured on ABC 2 News

2011-02-13T15:02:00.000-05:00

Our Virtual Gastric Band Program was recently featured on ABC 2 News. Brian Sanders, our extraordinary hypnotherapist, was interviewed along with two of his clients who were discussed the wonderful benefits of the program. As Brian always says, "No excuses, just results." Read on for the story transcript and a link to the news segment!

Click here to view the news segment!

PASADENA, Md. - Many of us obsess over ways to lose weight. Some go extreme, going under the knife for gastric bypass or gastric bands that actually shrink the size of your stomach, forcing you to eat less. But what if you could get all the benefits of a stomach band without ever stepping foot in a hospital? ABC2News Joce Sterman has details.

The operating room machines beep and hum as you lay sleeping. Your stomach is being shrunk through a simple procedure thousands of Americans get every year. But Sondra Lambert isn't undergoing a gastric band surgery in an operating room. She's only under the knife in her mind. Hypnotist Brian Sanders says, "Our clients actually believe their stomachs have shrunk down to the size of a golf ball."

At this clinic it's all mind over matter. Clients like Sondra think they're in a hospital, convinced they're getting a gastric band. But there's no scalpel and no scar because the surgery isn't really happening. It's hypnosis. Lambert says, "It doesn't hurt. It's me. He's going to be talking to me on the inside."

Sondra's happy inside. She wanted to change her outside so she opted for the virtual gastric band at Sanders Hypnosis Center in Pasadena (Anne Arundel County). Lambert says, "This is something that will blend what I need and what I enjoy and I truly believe this is a solution."

And she's not alone. Brian Sanders started offering hypno-bands six months ago and he says he's already put 200 clients under his four-session pseudo-surgery. Sanders explains, "We are able to basically go in and reprogram the brain through hypnosis kind of how you reprogram a computer. You really can't do that at the conscious level. You access the subconscious mind and then you can reprogram these things and that's why it works so well."

It's worked well for Deborah Herbert. Her weight yo-yoed for years. But after three sessions and a couple of months her loss this time is a mind trip. She's down 58 pounds. Herbert says, "It doesn't feel like a temporary measure this time. It feels more like a lifestyle change, like something I can live with and I can continue."

Sanders is quick to sing the praises of the procedure. He claims his patients get full faster because they feel like their stomachs are smaller. Some even claim they feel tenderness from an incision!

Dr. Peter Liao, the Medical Director of the Comprehensive Obesity Management Center at GBMC is intrigued by the idea. While he wants overweight people to have options, he’d like to see more clinical data before he's sold. Liao says, "We need to see how well does it work in the long run so patients really understand when they make these choices, yes, this is zero risk but what is the benefit?"

The benefit according to Sanders is that you lose without the side effects of surgery, changing your body through your mind. But just like the actual surgery, Sanders agrees the virtual procedure isn't for everybody, "You have to believe in the process. You have to be willing to open your mind and allow yourself to be hypnotized."

You can consider Sondra a believer. She's three sessions in and already feeling a difference after losing 15 pounds in three weeks. But her journey into the mind is about more than the number on the scale. She says, "It's not the weight or even the health issues. It's the lady in the mirror." Now she’s a lady getting smaller and beating the adage - no pain, no gain.

If you sign on for the virtual gastric band, you show up for four sessions and pay $799. You've also got to agree to other steps you'd do if dieting like eating smaller meals and exercising.

Hypnosis To Combat Stress

2010-10-27T12:03:00.000-04:00

A Vancouver-based reporter, who was accustomed to seeing stage hypnosis shows, decided to see how hynotherapy worked for his stress. He went to see Doug Osborne, clinical hypnotherapist.

Osborne states that he has "seen a stamped of people" come in for stress-related issues. In his sessions, he refers to a shamanic wheel's four compass points: emotions, the body, the mind and the spirit, to allow his clients to make connections to their sources of stress.

Osborne's approach also has the client identify a personality that the exude when under stress, referring to himself as "Mr. Grumpy." He believes that when you can isolate the parts of oneself in such a fashion, this will allow the client to have a better understanding of the source of stress. When the reporter asked if he would be under Osborne's control, he replied "I can't control you. If I could, I would go and see my bank manager and get him to transfer loads of money to an offshore account."

To read the original story, click Here.

Sanders Hypnosis Center
Maryland's ONLY Clinically-Proven Virtual Gastric Band Provider

The Top 5 Phobias....

2010-10-26T02:09:00.000-04:00

...according to Steve Spears, staff writer for Florida's St. Petersburg Times. Spears conducted some extremely indepth and thorough research to come up with his list of phobias; he searched on Yahoo.

In any case, I thought it would be interesting to blog about his findings. The top five Yahoo searches for phobias are:

1. AGORAPHOBIA - The fear of being in places where help may not be available. For example, you're driving cross-country and your car breaks down hundreds of miles from civilazation, with no help to be found.

2. HAUNTED HOUSE PHOBIA - Yes, for real. Is there an official term for this? I don't think so, but I would love for somebody to correct me on this.

3. ACROPHOBIA: Fear of heights - a very common phobia that we work with at the Sanders Hypnosis Center in Pasadena, MD.

4. LEPORIPHOBIA: Check this one out. This phobia is the fear of mutant bunny rabbits or, more specifically, the Easter Bunny. Yes, killer bunnies.

5. ARACHNAPHOBIA: Most people are familiar with this thanks to the movie by the same name. The fear of spiders is another common issue we see at the Sanders Hypnosis Center. So, yes, if you have arachnaphobia, come see us and you'll soon have your very own pet tarantula.

You can view the original article here.

Sanders Hypnosis Center
www.SandersHypnosis.com

Halloween Phobia?

2010-10-20T12:45:00.000-04:00

Yes, believe not, there is a phobia for Halloween. The clinical term for this is Samhainophobia. The word "Samhain" denotes an ancient Pagan day where dead druids supposedly roamed the Earth -but for one day only. Today our concept of Samhain has changed and we now call this Halloween.

L. Vincent Poupard wrote an interesting article last year on this topic. He noted that individuals who suffer from this condition can express a wide range of symptoms, from believing the children in costumes are really monsters to thinking that children will actually play "tricks" on them. It is believed that other underlying phobias are actually the cause of Samhainophone. For example, one individual whose mother had died on Halloween now dreads the approach of this day. Other related causes could include the fear of children or people.

Poupard Article

Sanders Hypnosis Center

Hypnosis advocated for breast cancer patients

2010-10-19T02:49:00.000-04:00

The New Britain Herald reported today that hypnosis is recommended for breast cancer patients. Hypnosis can help clients prepare for the surgery by addressing the fears and concerns the patient has, greatly diminishing stress and anxiety levels. Following surgery and/or treatment, hypnosis can be utilized to enhance a patient's self-image, particularly after hair loss occurs.

One point that the article did not mention, however, is that hypnosis can be also be used to help manage pain and discomfort. It goes without saying that breast cancer patients would certainly benefit from this.

To read the article, click on the following link:
The New Britain Herald

Brian Sanders, MS, CH
Sanders Hypnosis Center

Virtual Gastric Band With Hypnotherapy

2010-10-12T14:59:00.000-04:00

Have you thought about having a Gastric Band fitted or Gastric Bypass Surgery without doing your research? Do you comfort eat when you are unhappy, alone, bored or stressed? Do you think that having a Gastric Band fitted, which is an invasive procedure and can cause discomfort and has cost lives will change your attitude to only eating when you are hungry?

Interest in Gastric Bands and Gastric Bypass Surgery has increased with celebrity admissions such as Sharon Osbourne, Roseanne Barr, Al Roker, and Carnie Wilson, whom have publicly admitted they have used the Gastric Band or the Gastric Bypass procedure to lose weight. But is the Gastric Bypass or Gastric Band Surgery procedure 100% safe, the answer is no!

According to a study by researchers at the University of Washington, it was found that 1 in 50 people die within one month of having gastric bypass surgery, and that figure jumps nearly fivefold if the surgeon is inexperienced. Gastric Band Surgery is also extremely risky. Not only has this procedure caused discomfort with patients, but it has also claimed the lives of Gastric band patients including the life of Bernadette Reid, Suzanne Murphy 29, and Marilyn Wardrop 54, just to name a few. One life lost to an invasive procedure is one life to many.

There is a range of post-operative problems reported with gastric bands, and over 80% of patients will experience one or more of the following symptoms:

Nausea and vomiting (50%)
Reflux or regurgitation of food (35%)
Slipped band (25%)
Obstruction or blockage (15%)
Constipation
Diarrhea
Difficulty swallowing

If these complications cause you serious discomfort your band may need to be adjusted or removed. This involves further surgery, exposing you to all the associated risks once again.

Losing Weight when you have temptations or no will power is not an easy route to take but if you are trying to lose weight only to then pile more pounds on, then you should think about losing weight the safe way, by having a Virtual Gastric Band.

A Virtual Gastric Band, also known as Gastric Band Hypnotherapy or the Hypnotic Gastric Band, allows you to be convinced that you have a Gastric Band fitted where you will have all of the feelings without the risk and discomfort that an Invasive Gastric Band Surgery would bring, and you will still lose weight.

Here are some of the Benefits that a Virtual Gastric Band with Hypnotherapy would bring:

1. With Virtual Gastric Bands (Gastric Band Hypnotherapy) or (Hypnotic Gastric Band) there is NO invasive Surgery
2. No fears about having surgery to have a Gastric Band Fitted
3. No Discomfort with having a virtual Gastric Band
4. Virtual Gastric Bands are much more cost effective
5. No Time off work with a Virtual Gastric Band fitted
6. No Gastric Bands Complications with Surgery

Recently, several European gastric band hypnosis practictioners have been highlighted in the news. ABC News ran a nationwide story on the positive successes of the Gastric Mind Band System and Chicago's ABC Affiliate aired a similar story on the Virtual Gastric Band system. The Virtual Gastric Band System, which is the approach used at the Sanders Hypnosis Center, has had documented clinical success in a recent UK study where National Health Service patients saw a 95% success rate in group trials.

Call the Sanders Hypnosis Center today at 443-494-9766 for your free telephone consultation, and to see if Virtual Gastric Band hHypnosis is right for you.

Why Do Successful People Use Hypnosis?

2010-03-30T15:43:00.000-04:00

A successful person has a lot of major qualities which together form the foundations which lead to success. To have the confidence in oneself, the belief that you have a good idea, the belief that you can do it is clearly a major factor. This is needed by the barrel load. Tenacity is also required, the tenacity to keep on going, to fight for your ideals, for your goals no matter what obstacles get in your way. Determination and commitment are essential ingredients, as is a burning desire to succeed. This is what causes you to leave no stone unturned. The ability to focus on your goal and turn a blind eye to distractions is also involved.

What else is needed in order to stand out from the crowd? The icing upon the cake is to have imagination, to have vision. The most essential thing of all is the ability to see the end result which you so desire. How could you make a chair if you could not visualize it first? How could you design an airplane if you did not imagine flying first? How could the electric light bulb be invented without first having a vision of the light which it would create?

If you were to read the biographies of almost all successful people, they would say that the key to their success was that they had vision. They had the ability to see something in their minds eye and this is what enabled them to set about its creation. If you dig a little deeper you will find that their most creative moments came in times when their mind was relaxed, when they were in a meditative state, when in a state of relaxed focus.

This state of relaxed focus is hypnosis. Many successful people intentionally induce this state of creativity, whilst others inadvertently drift into this state. Either way, this state is essential to creativity and to remarkable vision. Hypnosis is a state of relaxation at one with a state of heightened awareness. When in hypnosis your subconscious mind comes to the fore and you get past the critical aspect of the conscious mind. Your imagination is enhanced and your ability to problem solve comes to the fore.

I'm sure that you can relate to times when you perhaps had forgotton a person’s name and no amount of trying helped your memory, but when you stopped trying that name just popped into your mind, seemingly from nowhere. In effect, if you focus on an end result you want to achieve, and relax, your subconscious mind will come up with the answer.

At night when you dream, whilst in the REM state, your brain performs the task of conflict resolution. This task happens each and every night, whether or not you are aware of it, and this is essential to human survival. It happens automatically, it is just how your mind naturally works to keep you in a state of balance and equilibrium. Hypnosis creates a similar REM state and therefore you access the creativity and problem solving abilities which come naturally at this time. It allows you to tap into a far deeper ability to imagine and create that you would otherwise be capable of. In actual fact, when in a normal state of waking consciousness you are really only accessing a very limited percentage of your minds capabilities. Every successful person accesses this state of relaxed focus, this state of hypnosis, be it deliberately or instinctively.

The great thing is that we can all use hypnosis, we can all access our inner creativity and thereby enable ourselves to be more creative and successful than we ever dreamed to be possible. You can get a free hypnosis download from my website and try it for yourself.

By Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis downloads for motivation and success.

Sanders Hypnosis Center
Blake Professional Building
2528 Mountain Road, Suite #103
Pasadena MD 21122
www.SandersHypnosis.com

Create A Winning Mindset Using Hypnosis

2010-03-21T05:45:00.000-04:00

Do you know anyone who always wins? Sure you know that person, everything just works out for them. They go into business and they are an instant success. They enter the dating scene and their phone rings off the hook. If they were in the Olympics, you just know they wouldn't settle for anything less than the gold. It seems as though they always win.

Why is it that some people just have IT and others seem not to? Want to learn the secret to their success? Ready? Here it comes....the secret to unstoppable success...drumroll please....Winners EXPECT to win!

That's the big secret. Simple, huh?

But, think about it for a moment...Winners actually SEE their success BEFORE it happens! Do YOU expect to win BEFORE you have even entered a situation...or do you assess your chances AFTER you are already in the situation? Or, even worse, do you imagine failure?

BEFORE selling a piece of real estate, winners EXPECT to get their asking price. BEFORE buying a car, winners EXPECT to get a discount.

Before running an Olympic race, winners EXPECT TO WIN the gold, so they do win! This one small thing gives winners a tremendous advantage over others.

Want to be a winner? Try the following exercise...

Close your eyes for a full minute and THINK about achieving a goal in your life...go ahead, close your eyes for one minute and really THINK about achieving it.

OK, now close your eyes again for one full minute and EXPECT to get it. Did you notice a difference? When we simply THINK about getting something, our thoughts tend to be vague.

There are also two options...getting it or not getting it (winning or losing). But, when we EXPECT to get it, there is only one possibility...getting it (winning).

So now that you know the secret, the next step is applying your powerful knowledge and getting yourself to that point where YOU ALWAYS EXPECT TO WIN. I suggest that you take a full minute pause right before entering any challenging situation. During that minute, close your eyes, and imagine winning. See it, feel it, hear it, imagine yourself already having won. Guess what...you will have programmed your mind to pull you powerfully in the winning direction.

When you do enter that situation, your words and actions will be generated from a winning mindset. Your path will be straight to victory...you will already know the way and EXPECT to get there...so you WILL get there. Using the power of hypnosis, you can easily program yourself for a constant winning mindset.

Until next time,

Live in abundant possibility!

Steve G. Jones, CHt

About The Author
Steve G. Jones is a board certified Clinical Hypnotherapist who works extensively with Hollywood actors, writers, directors, and producers, helping them achieve their very best.

Hypnosis: A Powerful Tool in Complementary Cancer Care

2010-03-20T14:19:00.000-04:00

Complementary therapies, while not given the attention that more traditional cancer therapies may receive, are perhaps equally important while undergoing treatment for certain types of cancer. Patients diagnosed with difficult to treat malignancies will often use these types of therapies in conjunction with traditional surgical, chemotherapeutic, or radiology techniques to form a more comprehensive and effective treatment regimen. Among the most important and effective alternative therapies utilized by those diagnosed with cancer is hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy has been used for many years in clinical settings. Hypnotherapy’s role in cancer management however, is relatively new and indications are that its utilization has not been fully maximized yet. Effective cancer treatment often depends on the patient’s ability to not only defeat the cancer through treatments but also to maintain their health and mental spirit throughout the painful side effects of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Often, the symptoms and effects of the cancer itself on the body are negligible compared to the pain and other side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. This is where acupuncture has been said to be most effective. Cancers such as mesothelioma, which are often unable to be removed by surgical means, are often treated with some combination of chemotherapy and radiation. While these potent therapies can be effective in eliminating some of the tumor mass and growth, they also profoundly affect the health of the surrounding tissue. Symptoms of these effects including fever, nausea, and general pain have been dramatically reduced through the utilization of hypnosis. Patients, who are able to withstand these symptoms and recover quickly, will often be able to be more aggressively treated, increasing the efficacy of the treatment regimen as a whole. Some specific hypnotherapy techniques utilized in pain management for mesothelioma patients, include altering the neurophysical configuration of pain, control of anticipatory anxiety, and targeted imagery.

Hypnotherapy techniques may not be appropriate for all patient’s pain and individual symptoms but it’s certainly worth exploring as it can do very little harm in experimenting with integrative therapies. The goal with alternative therapies, as with traditional therapies, is always to increase the effectiveness of treatment as a whole. If hypnotherapy can assist in any way in helping patients recover or manage symptoms of chemotherapy or radiation, then it will have contributed to the treatment regimens overall efficacy and should certainly be utilized.

By Jack Bleeker

February 9, 2010

References

Erickson MH: Hypnosis in painful terminal illness, in Haley J (ed): Advanced Techniques of Hypnosis and Therapy: Selected Papers of Milton Erickson, MD. New York, Crune & Stratton, 1967.

Sunnen, Gerard M.D. , Hypnotic Approaches in the Cancer Patient Ozonics International, LLC

An Online Guide To Hypnosis

2010-02-25T02:33:00.000-05:00

Hypnosis is one of the most effective alternative healing methods available. There has been tons on research on hypnosis and hypnotherapy, and the results have been very encouraging. Today, a lot is known about hypnosis - what it can do and what it cannot do.

What Hypnosis Is Not

1) Don't expect hypnosis to be some kind of magical healing method that will take away all your problems with the wave on a wand. It doesn't happen that way. For hypnosis to work, you must be prepared to put in some time and effort.

2) Hypnosis is not a coercive method. In other words, if you are not a willing party, hypnosis cannot work on you. Let's say you are trying to quit smoking. But you know that you don't really want to do so. In this case, since you are not really willing to quit smoking, hypnosis will not be able to help you.

3) Hypnosis is certainly not mind control. The subject is aware that the suggestions are being made to the mind, and can refuse to participate further at any time. The ability to choose is never impaired during hypnosis.

Sometimes, on television, we see hypnotized subjects behave in ways that they would never behave in when under hypnosis. This is an illusion created by the performers. They tend to choose subjects who are willing to participate in these shows. In other words, they are all willing participants. But that's just entertainment. In a real world healing situation, hypnosis is used very differently.

What Hypnosis Is

1) Hypnosis is an alternative healing method. Note that it is not meant to replace scientific healing methods. Instead, hypnosis can be used effectively with medical healing methods with no conflicts at all. Hypnosis doesn't deal with drugs and medicine. The most commonly seen tool that is used in hypnosis is audio. Through audio, suggestions are being made to the subconscious mind.

2) Hypnosis works on changing existing habits through the method of suggestion. Many health problems are related to habits. Smoking is a bad habit. Some people just need to smoke after a meal. Eating can also become a bad habit. Many people become obese because they just can't stay away from junk food. Deep down, these people know that they need to stop smoking or eat better, or their health will suffer. However, in many occasions, these habits are so ingrained that they find it hard to get rid of them. In such cases, hypnosis can help tremendously.

By making constant suggestions to the subconscious mind, the affected individual starts to lose the need to smoke or to overeat. Of course, the healing process many take some time, depending on the severity of the situation. But with patience, hypnosis has shown to be highly effective.

Article by Jake Rhodes

Brian Sanders, MS, CH
Sanders Hypnosis Center
2528 Mountain RD, Suite #103
Pasadena MD 21122
www.SandersHypnosis.com

This Is Your Brain Under Hypnosis – New York Times

2010-02-25T01:58:00.000-05:00

Hypnosis, with its long and checkered history in medicine and entertainment, is receiving some new respect from neuroscientists. Recent brain studies of people who are susceptible to suggestion indicate that when they act on the suggestions their brains show profound changes in how they process information. The suggestions, researchers report, literally change what people see, hear, feel and believe to be true.

The new experiments, which used brain imaging, found that people who were hypnotized “saw” colors where there were none. Others lost the ability to make simple decisions. Some people looked at common English words and thought that they were gibberish.

“The idea that perceptions can be manipulated by expectations” is fundamental to the study of cognition, said Michael I. Posner, an emeritus professor of neuroscience at the University of Oregon and expert on attention. “But now we’re really getting at the mechanisms.”

Even with little understanding of how it works, hypnosis has been used in medicine since the 1950’s to treat pain and, more recently, as a treatment for anxiety, depression, trauma, irritable bowel syndrome and eating disorders.

There is, however, still disagreement about what exactly the hypnotic state is or, indeed, whether it is anything more than an effort to please the hypnotist or a natural form of extreme concentration where people become oblivious to their surroundings while lost in thought.

Hypnosis had a false start in the 18th century when a German physician, Dr. Franz Mesmer, devised a miraculous cure for people suffering all manner of unexplained medical problems. Amid dim lights and ethereal music played on a glass harmonica, he infused them with an invisible “magnetic fluid” that only he was able to muster. Thus mesmerized, clients were cured.

Although Dr. Mesmer was eventually discredited, he was the first person to show that the mind could be manipulated by suggestion to affect the body, historians say. This central finding was resurrected by Dr. James Braid, an English ophthalmologist who in 1842 coined the word hypnosis after the Greek word for sleep.

Braid reportedly put people into trances by staring at them intently, but he did not have a clue as to how it worked. In this vacuum, hypnosis was adopted by spiritualists and stage magicians who used dangling gold watches to induce hypnotic states in volunteers from the audience, and make them dance, sing or pretend to be someone else, only to awaken at a hand clap and laughter from the crowd.

In medical hands, hypnosis was no laughing matter. In the 19th century, physicians in India successfully used hypnosis as anesthesia, even for limb amputations. The practice fell from favor only when ether was discovered.

Now, Dr. Posner and others said, new research on hypnosis and suggestion is providing a new view into the cogs and wheels of normal brain function. One area that it may have illuminated is the processing of sensory data. Information from the eyes, ears and body is carried to primary sensory regions in the brain. From there, it is carried to so-called higher regions where interpretation occurs.

For example, photons bouncing off a flower first reach the eye, where they are turned into a pattern that is sent to the primary visual cortex. There, the rough shape of the flower is recognized. The pattern is next sent to a higher – in terms of function – region, where color is recognized, and then to a higher region, where the flower’s identity is encoded along with other knowledge about the particular bloom.

The same processing stream, from lower to higher regions, exists for sounds, touch and other sensory information. Researchers call this direction of flow feedforward. As raw sensory data is carried to a part of the brain that creates a comprehensible, conscious impression, the data is moving from bottom to top.
Bundles of nerve cells dedicated to each sense carry sensory information. The surprise is the amount of traffic the other way, from top to bottom, called feedback. There are 10 times as many nerve fibers carrying information down as there are carrying it up.

These extensive feedback circuits mean that consciousness, what people see, hear, feel and believe, is based on what neuroscientists call “top down processing.” What you see is not always what you get, because what you see depends on a framework built by experience that stands ready to interpret the raw information – as a flower or a hammer or a face.

The top-down structure explains a lot. If the construction of reality has so much top-down processing, that would make sense of the powers of placebos (a sugar pill will make you feel better), nocebos (a witch doctor will make you ill), talk therapy and meditation. If the top is convinced, the bottom level of data will be overruled. This brain structure would also explain hypnosis, which is all about creating such formidable top-down processing that suggestions overcome reality.

According to decades of research, 10 to 15 percent of adults are highly hypnotizable, said Dr. David Spiegel, a psychiatrist at Stanford who studies the clinical uses of hypnosis. Up to age 12, however, before top-down circuits mature, 80 to 85 percent of children are highly hypnotizable. One adult in five is flat out resistant to hypnosis, Dr. Spiegel said. The rest are in between, he said.

In some of the most recent work, Dr. Amir Raz, an assistant professor of clinical neuroscience at Columbia, chose to study highly hypnotizable people with the help of a standard psychological test that probes conflict in the brain. As a professional magician who became a scientist to understand better the slippery nature of attention, Dr. Raz said that he “wanted to do something really impressive” that other neuroscientists could not ignore.

The probe, called the Stroop test, presents words in block letters in the colors red, blue, green and yellow. The subject has to press a button identifying the color of the letters. The difficulty is that sometimes the word RED is colored green. Or the word YELLOW is colored blue.

For people who are literate, reading is so deeply ingrained that it invariably takes them a little bit longer to override the automatic reading of a word like RED and press a button that says green. This is called the Stroop effect.

Sixteen people, half highly hypnotizable and half resistant, went into Dr. Raz’s lab after having been covertly tested for hypnotizability. The purpose of the study, they were told, was to investigate the effects of suggestion on cognitive performance. After each person underwent a hypnotic induction, Dr. Raz said:
“Very soon you will be playing a computer game inside a brain scanner. Every time you hear my voice over the intercom, you will immediately realize that meaningless symbols are going to appear in the middle of the screen. They will feel like characters in a foreign language that you do not know, and you will not attempt to attribute any meaning to them.

“This gibberish will be printed in one of four ink colors: red, blue, green or yellow. Although you will only attend to color, you will see all the scrambled signs crisply. Your job is to quickly and accurately depress the key that corresponds to the color shown. You can play this game effortlessly. As soon as the scanning noise stops, you will relax back to your regular reading self.”

Dr. Raz then ended the hypnosis session, leaving each person with what is called a posthypnotic suggestion, an instruction to carry out an action while not hypnotized. Days later, the subjects entered the brain scanner.
In highly hypnotizables, when Dr. Raz’s instructions came over the intercom, the Stroop effect was obliterated, he said. The subjects saw English words as gibberish and named colors instantly. But for those who were resistant to hypnosis, the Stroop effect prevailed, rendering them significantly slower in naming the colors.
When the brain scans of the two groups were compared, a distinct pattern appeared. Among the hypnotizables, Dr. Raz said, the visual area of the brain that usually decodes written words did not become active. And a region in the front of the brain that usually detects conflict was similarly dampened.
Top-down processes overrode brain circuits devoted to reading and detecting conflict, Dr. Raz said, although he did not know exactly how that happened. Those results appeared in July in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A number of other recent studies of brain imaging point to similar top-down brain mechanisms under the influence of suggestion. Highly hypnotizable people were able to “drain” color from a colorful abstract drawing or “add” color to the same drawing rendered in gray tones. In each case, the parts of their brains involved in color perception were differently activated.

Brain scans show that the control mechanisms for deciding what to do in the face of conflict become uncoupled when people are hypnotized. Top-down processes override sensory, or bottom-up information, said Dr. Stephen M. Kosslyn, a neuroscientist at Harvard. People think that sights, sounds and touch from the outside world constitute reality. But the brain constructs what it perceives based on past experience, Dr. Kosslyn said.

Most of the time bottom-up information matches top-down expectation, Dr. Spiegel said. But hypnosis is interesting because it creates a mismatch. “We imagine something different, so it is different,” he said.

Originally published in The New York Times
by Sandra Blakeslee
November 22, 2005

Brian Sanders, MS, CH
Sanders Hypnosis Center
2528 Mountain RD, Suite #103
Pasadena MD 21122
www.sandershypnosis.com